Economical Target-1, a low cost, short-range ballistic target missile developed from excess government equipment by the Army Space and Missile Defense Command, is launched this morning at the Santa Rosa Test Site on Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. (SMDC photo)

Economical Target-1 was launched from the Santa Rosa Test Site on Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle at 7 a.m. and fell into the test range's ocean area, according to John Cummings, a spokesman at SMDC's headquarters on Redstone Arsenal.

The test information is still being processed, he said, but the flight of the short-range ballistic missile was tracked by range sensors and early indications are that all ET-1's data collection objectives were met.

The missile is designed to be a possible target for testing of Patriot Advanced Capability 3, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and similar missile defense systems, he said. ET-1 was developed by SMDC under the Department of Defense's Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program.

The ET-1 was tested using another new product developed under the program, a Transportable Target Launcher that can handle missiles with up to 25,000 pounds of thrust - known as the 25K TTL. It is designed to be carried aboard the large military C-17 and C-5 cargo airplanes, greatly expanding the number of potential test sites, Cummings said.

"We can move it to where it's needed for tactical ballistic missile target testing," he said.

SMDC teamed with the Air Force on the rocket and with the Navy on the launcher, "so it's really a joint service system," Cummings said.

Target missiles and the transportable launchers could eventually be provided to meet the needs of any of the services or the Missile Defense Agency.